My Life As I Live It!

Breastfeeding and exclusively pumping mothers everywhere can all agree that establishing and maintaining a milk supply takes a LOT of patience and consistency so when you find something that can make the task of pumping breast milk easier, you try it.

Retailers like Babies-R-Us sell hands-free bras/bustiers with prices ranging from $35 to $42. The bra/bustier is designed to hold the breast shields of your pump firmly in place leaving your hands free to do other things.

PumpEase Hands-Free Pumping Bra – Snow Leopard $37.99

Medela Easy Expression Hands-Free Pumping Bustier – Black $39.99

To save money, I decided to make a hands-free bra myself using what I already had at home and now you can do it as well by following my easy step-by-step guide.

What you’ll need…

A sports bra (that you don’t mind cutting)

A sharp pair of scissors

A pen

A marker

One of your connectors that’s attached to your breast shield (used for tracing)

Step 1

Select your sports bra; the bra should have a tight but comfortable fit.

Step 2

With the bra on, stand in front of a mirror and gently mark the position of your nipples using a marker.

Step 3

Using your connector (opposite of the breast shield; where the tubing connects) center the nipple mark you previously made and trace around the outside of the connector creating a circle with a pen. Repeat step on both sides.

Step 4

Using your scissors, create a small slit where you made your nipple marks. Make sure to cut through all layers of fabric (my sports bra had 2 layers). Repeat step on both sides.

Step 5

Using the slit you previously made, cut outwards with the scissors until you reach the circle. Follow the outline of the circle until you have cut the circle completely out from the rest of the fabric creating a hole. Remember to make sure you cut through all layers of fabric. Repeat on both sides.

Step 6

Insert the breast shields of your double pump into the openings and pump away for that good ol’ “liquid gold” with your new & inexpensive hands-free bra.

If you have tried this D.I.Y. or plan on trying it, please leave a comment below letting me know how you have done it or plan to do it. Do you have tips on what I or others can do to make the process faster or easier? Are there any bra materials to avoid? Do you know another way to measure the openings where the breast shields go? Let me know in the comment section below.